SAP Africa facilitates value creation for partner ecosystem

TINTSWALO BALOYIJOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – IN an historic event, more than 35 partners of SAP Africa, the market leader in enterprise application software, have converged in Johannesburg, South Africa with a view to foster exchange of best practices, explore potential for new relationships and drive further business collaboration.

The SAP partners serve as master value-added resellers (master VARs) and small open ecosystem partners.

The event is the first of its kind in the continent and testimony to the importance of the SAP partner network in Africa.

The exercise will take the form of “speed-dating” sessions during which all participating partners will have an opportunity to introduce their solutions and services to the master VARs EOH, Britehouse and UCS Solutions, who will showcase their experience and breadth.

In return, the master VARs have the opportunity to explore possibilities to supplement their own offerings and skill-sets by exploring ways in which to potentially collaborate in the future with the attending open ecosystem partners.

Tracy Bolton, Director, Global Channels and General Business, SAP Africa, expresses the company’s excitement at the opportunity to bring this dynamic group together.

She says the objective is not only to facilitate interaction but create more business opportunities and revenue streams for SAP partners.

“Today’s business faces many challenges, not the least of which is the transition to the third platform and taking the reins in the whole African drive towards digital transformation,” says Bolton.
She says those challenges demand agile yet comprehensive software solutions that go beyond just providing technology.

“By drawing on a combined pool of the right skills, insights and leadership, this can become a manageable and profitable reality for both sets of partners,” says Bolton.

A key goal of SAP Africa is to grow the range of partners in the ecosystem, which forms an integral part of SAP’s African expansion strategy.

SAP Africa also expects that increased business for partners will stimulate the participation of its ecosystem in the SAP Skills for Africa skill development and job creation initiative, aimed at developing ICT skills in Africa as part of SAP’s global commitment to promoting education and entrepreneurship.